"...It also leaves me with a sense of warmth and surety for some reason, which I am unsure why."

[Me influencing and drawing when...]

Elyd descends from above, gripping a branch with his feet as he watches you curiously, hanging upside down.

The resonating centre of Glomdoring's black heart.
Reigning over the utter destruction that once rampaged through this room is the presence of the Wyrd, which pulses with a rhythm that reverberates through every leaf and twig. The entire glade is dwarfed by the massive shards of tree that emanated from the centre of the change. Ebony sap streams down the bark, dark mauve toadstools growing in circles around the massive girth, glowing with a sepulchral luminescence that highlights the surroundings in a baleful light. The surrounding trees grow tall and dark, with the whispering praise and the howls of triumph of the winds. The silvery leaves of a faebush gently billow in the wind. The Master Ravenwood Tree towers over everything here, pulsing with an immeasurable yet dark power. Firmly set into the ground, a pulsating branch of the Master Ravenwood has been set here. There are 20 illithoid scourges here. There are 20 shadowlord widowriders here. There are 20 dark nighthags here. Settled within the branches of an ancient and skeletal tree roosts a murder of crows, their voices harsh and deafening as their caws peal through the air. A hemlock sapling clings tenaciously to the ground here. There are 5 ravenwood saplings here. A creature of starlit shadow is here, blending in with the ambient darkness. A shadow hawk flutters about here, its eyes piercingly cold. Causing nearby plants to reach towards him, the inner light within Elyd, the Nightcrawler pulses in time with the heartbeat of the forest. He wields a bark tome encased in vines in his left hand.
You see exits leading south and up.

Tilting their head slightly back, you whisper to Elyd, "Greetings."

Elyd releases the branch, flipping through the air before landing on his feet near you. "And to you. I trust you are well?" he says, a soft chittering noise rising in his chest.

LOOK ELYD
As if grown from the forest floor, the labyrinthine body of Elyd, the Nightcrawler is formed from a mass of twisting, thorny vines. Inky black in color, the strands of plant matter stretch and wind away from his torso to form wings and short, stubby legs. The occasional stretching of his wings emits a soft rustling sound - a thin membrane visible beneath the mass of intertwining vines. A plethora of small, razor-sharp prickles sprout from the thick vines of his forearms, each one shifting through a spectrum of deep forest greens. A soft, deep green glow radiates from the spiraling knot of vines where his chest would be, pulsating softly as if a heart were beating therein.

He is wearing:
a webbed circlet
a sash of blackthorn flowers
a talisman of seething wyrden flora

You look at a webbed circlet that Elyd is wearing:
Delicate strands of spiderwebs intertwine to form a thick band, twisted into an oddly shaped circle. Small twigs rise from the front of the circlet to create short ridges, each one placed into the circlet at a different angle. Spiders skitter across and between the thin sticks, spinning webs and consuming any prey caught in their trap.

You look at a sash of blackthorn flowers that Elyd is wearing:
Vines, forest moss, and pieces of various flora weave together to create a deep green sash. Blackthorn flowers rest against the bed of moss and flora - their narrow stems woven together like chainlinks and wrapped around the forestal sash. A sweet, heady scent mixed with the aroma of a loamy forest floor radiates from the sash, teasing at the senses.

You look at a talisman of seething wyrden flora that Elyd is wearing:
Living plants and palpitating hemlock flowers tangle into this talisman that seethes with wyrden menace, an oppressive and tangible power beating in time with the Drums of the Dead. Ravenwood leaves snarl in a nest amongst barbed vines churning in constant motion, entwining with one another in tough braiding, pulsing with dark energy laced with a coppery tang that hangs in the air with unsated violence. The pendant itself hangs heavy against the chest, a fanged bat skull with ripened rowan berries clustered within its sockets instead of eyes, its brow carved with ominous pictograms depicting the idols of the Glomdoring.

You have emoted: Esei dips their head slightly, making a soft, thoughtful noise. "I am, indeed."

Tipping his head to one side, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "I am glad to hear it. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe some time ago you offered some tea to me?"

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "I did, though it appears I do not have any on me at present... I would go prepare some, if you'd like?"

Stretching his wings out behind him, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "Certainly, although if it is too much trouble, I can come find you another time."

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "Not a trouble at all. I shall be right back, then."

[Quickly grabbing some tea and cups]

You pour an opaque night tea from a slender amethyst slaugh bottle into a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.
You pour an opaque night tea from a slender amethyst slaugh bottle into a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.
You give a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna to Elyd, the Nightcrawler.

Dark fingers wrapping around their own cup, you whisper, "...I hope it is to your taste."

Elyd takes the cup between his small hands, studying the cup for a few moments. "The design of this cup is very good. My favorite element of it is the thornbeast.", he says before tilting his head at you in acknowledgement, before bringing the cup to his face, inhaling deeply through his nose. "I am sure it will be fine. It certainly smells like an interesting liquid.", he continues before taking a small sip, almost tentatively.

You take a drink of black tea from a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.
Your blood surges as the black tea enters your system.
This night-black tea swirls easily over your tongue, the sharp tastes of sloe and cloves an undercurrent to the more delicate, overarching flavors of lavender and rose. The tea is pleasantly warm, the flavors leaving a pleasant aftertaste on your palate.

Elyd sips black tea from a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.

The vines above his eyes shifting into a half-frown, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "It is strange to me, though it is also decidedly pleasing. Though the reasoning behind why is perplexing me."

You hum thoughtfully.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "...is it something you would wish to share with me?"

Raising his head from the cup after taking another sip, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "Certainly. Typically, I don't really drink anything at all. I have no real need for water or any other sustenance, like a number of the Basin's inhabitants, so I never bothered to try anything else." He pauses for a moment, looking down into the cup. "Like a lot of things in the Basin and beyond, I suppose it perplexes me in a few ways. There is, of course, the first person who decided to make it. How did they come about the idea? How did they figure out what to put in it? And then I assume there is a number of different ways to make it, so how did those people figure out the best ways to do it? It also leaves me with a sense of warmth and surety for some reason, which I am unsure why."

You have emoted: Esei gives a slow nod of understanding, eyes slipping closed as they seem to mull over Elyd's words. For a long moment, they say nothing, before, "...How much of that would you like for me to try to truthfully answer? If any of it at all?"

Elyd looks between his cup and you a few times, pondering the question. "I am unsure if you have answers, unless of course you are also a person who creates new tea recipes," he says, tapping his thin, twig-like fingers against the cup. "Though I do also wonder how drinking tea leaves you feeling, if that is something you would also like to share."

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "While I cannot speak for the first person who ever made the drink..." They pause, eyes opening halfway to gaze into the flat, dark surface of their tea, their clawed thumb running delicately across the painted surface. "It is largely a process of trial and error. What flavors combine best, which best tickle the senses without overwhelming - or perhaps, indeed, overwhelming the senses, depending on who it is for. Gauging how sweet or bitter or sour it should be..."

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "To me, it is very much like an infinite puzzle with an infinite number of parts and, ergo, solutions. One I can take my time with, to tease out the meaning of the tea, and who it is for, if it is a gift. It is, for me, a rather spiritual process that, perhaps, sounds a bit... strange when explained aloud."

You have emoted: Esei's brows crinkle slightly, looking as if they may attempt to explain further, but refrain from doing so, instead looking up at Elyd thoughtfully.

Elyd tilts his head as he thinks over the words, nodding once. "I think it makes perfect sense. And even if it did not to me, then it would not matter anyway, as your interpretation is your own and that is perfectly reasonable," he says, pausing to sip from his cup once more. "The complexity of the beverage definitely hints at having a number of possible meanings, especially with the broad range of types, I'm sure."

You take a drink of black tea from a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.

You nod.

Midnight shadows coalesce around a new day, and Mother Night embraces the land in utter darkness.
It is now the 21st of Avechary, 606 years after the Coming of Estarra.
There are 7 days until the New Moon

Elyd, the Nightcrawler says to you, "While we are here, do you have any questions for me at all?"

Elyd sips black tea from a dark tea cup adorned with wyrden fauna.

You hum thoughtfully.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "Have you seen a flower in the Basin you particularly favor?"

The vines around his mouth twisting into a wide smile, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "The blackthorn flowers are probably my favorite flowers, though aside from that, I do really like birds of paradise and nightshades."

You nod your head slowly in understanding.

Elyd, the Nightcrawler says to you, "Do you have a favorite?"

The pointed tips of your ears twitch to hear an errant sound.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "...incidentally, mine is also the blackthorn, though aside from that... night-blooming jasmine and thistle."

Elyd, the Nightcrawler says to you, "If I may ask, why the blackthorn flower?"

Claws tinking lightly against their cup, you whisper, "It happened on accident, truth be told, from when I was a novice. There are a myriad of reasons, these days..." They pause once more, as to collect their thoughts, before continuing, "It represents strength and protection, to me. Endurance, and peace..."

You let out a soft sigh.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "Other parts of why it is my favorite I cannot quite articulate. The fact it is closely associated with my Lord Nocht... helps."

The wind whistles eerily through the branches overhead.

Elyd looks up at you over the edge of his cup, his head tipping slightly to one side. "I hope that the recent reasons are not overly bad ones," he says quietly, taking another sip. "Though I do like and appreciate your interpretation for the flower. And it is made even more understandable by your link with Lord Nocht," he continues, lowering his cup slightly.

You have emoted: The corners of Esei's lips quirk up slightly as they shake their head. "Quite the inverse, for the reasons."

lyd flicks the tips of his wings briefly, head tipping further. "If you ever wish to speak of them, I will be all ears for you.", he says, a frown forming in the vines of his eyebrows.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper, "And I would honored to have you listen, but it is... not something I can -speak-, exactly."

Straightening his head, Elyd, the Nightcrawler says, "Ah, that is understandable. I hope you do not forget my offer moving forward, for other issues that may arise." He raises his head to peer through the branches. "Unfortunately, I think I must away now. I thank you very much for the tea and the conversations. If you ever need me I am but a letter away."

You nod solemnly.

Lilting in a atramentous, ethereal voice, you whisper to Elyd, "Thank you."

Elyd tips his head to you in farewell.

With a flap of his thorny wings, Elyd, the Nightcrawler launches into the sky and disappears overhead.

You close your eyes and inhale deeply, absorbing the scent of your surroundings.
You let loose a long breath from your lungs, exhaling slowly.